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Fla. senators on board with immigration reform

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are joining together on a new plan to overhaul immigration policies in the United States.

Both Florida senators are on board with the plan, but it's one that surely faces stiff opposition among many Republicans in the House.

Critics will say it sure has the look and the feel of an "Amnesty Bill" but the bipartisan group in the Senate said America has been stuck in neutral for too long on immigration reform and the new plan finally puts reform in motion.

"We believe this will be the year Congress finally gets it done," said Sen. Charles Schummer of New York.

In what appears to be the most visible sign yet that Washington lawmakers are taking immigration reform seriously, a mix of Democrat and GOP leaders, including Florida's Republican Sen. Marco Rubio unveiled a plan to deal with the nation's illegal immigrants.

"We are dealing with 11 million human beings who are here and undocumented and the vast majority of whom have come here in pursuit of what all of us recognize as the American dream," said Rubio. "That is what we endeavor to move forward here on."

Under the bipartisan plan, the Senate leaders are pushing for a "path to citizenship" for illegal immigrants with no criminal backgrounds.

An immigration overhaul could include the awarding of green cards to those earning advanced degrees, an employee verification program that reliably proves an individual's citizen status and worker programs that encourage and promote jobs for immigrants.

"You can't deport them all -- the economy of our country would collapse," said Sen. Bill Nelson.

Nelson said most of America should embrace the path to citizenship, because it is just.

"It's common sense," said Nelson. "They have to learn English, have no criminal background, pay a fine and have a job and then get in line behind those that have already applied for their green card."

President Barack Obama, who told Latino leaders last week immigration reform is his top priority, will travel to Nevada Tuesday to outline his own principles which could reflect those of the bipartisan Senate group.

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